At IMS 2023, Samtec had a booth full of cutting-edge product demonstrations and technologies. One of those featured a variety of microwave, mmWave connector systems which achieved excellent performance. Michael Griesi, RF Design and Simulation Engineering Manager at Samtec, walks us through the demonstrations and the results. A Keysight eight-port 53 GHz USB VNA transmits signals to the four mmWave RF systems. The Keysight device is a M9808A PXIe Vector Network Analyzer (100 kHz to 53 … [Read more...]
Search Results for: rf
Validating the Performance of Miniature Array Connectors
Small, complex, and portable applications (in industries such as military/aerospace and medical) require miniaturized, reliable interconnects. As traditional surface-mount and through-hole interconnects reach their limits in terms of density and the number of signals that can effectively be used, many product designers are implementing high I/O array styles of interconnects. In a new white paper from Samtec, “Improved Solder Joint Integrity for High-Density Interconnect Applications,” the … [Read more...]
New High-Performance 90 GHz Test Solution Enables 224 Gbps PAM4 SerDes Characterization
The demand for bandwidth is pushing the limits of test and measurement to speeds and fidelity not previously possible. Complex systems, such as 5G and 6G networks, high-speed SerDes, automotive radar, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality, require much higher frequencies for evaluation. Even though 112 Gbps PAM4 is just now becoming fully available within the market, 224 Gbps PAM4 SerDes characterization is already knocking at the … [Read more...]
High-Speed Cable System and Blockchain ISI Demonstrate Excellent 112 Gbps PAM4 Performance
OFC 2023 saw the world premiere of Credo’s DOVE 800 family, teamed with a Samtec Flyover cable assembly, and a Samtec blockchain ISI board, both demonstrating outstanding performance at 112 Gbps PAM4. The DOVE 800 is a retimer, with eight lanes of 100 G to 100 G. Ralph Page, Systems Architect at Samtec, walks us through the two signal paths. In channel one, a BERT is generating eight lanes of 112 Gbps PAM4, PRBS 31-bit data, which travels through low-loss coax cable to a Samtec … [Read more...]
Rohde & Schwarz VNA Verifies Excellent PCIe 6.0 Performance Of High-Speed Cable
A live product demonstration from DesignCon 2023 highlights the outstanding PCIe 6.0 performance of both a Samtec Flyover® high-speed cable assembly and a Rohde & Schwarz® ZNA vector network analyzer. In this short video, Greg Vaught, VNA Product Planning Manager with Rohde & Schwarz, and Matt Burns, Technical Marketing Manager at Samtec, walk us through the setup and describe the products and results measured. A Rohde & Schwarz ZNA 67 Vector Network Analyzer is connected to a … [Read more...]
Cutting Edge High-Speed Cable Performance Measured By The World’s First 53 GHz Scalable VNA
In this live demonstration from DesignCon 2023, the performance of a Samtec high-speed cable system is measured by the world’s first scalable VNA. Matt Burns (Technical Marketing Manager, Samtec), and Mike Resso (Signal Integrity Application Scientist, Keysight) explain the demo and equipment. The scalable VNA is Keysight's Digital Interconnect Test System, with 16 ports that are expandable to 32 ports at 53 GHz. In this demonstration, Mike has calibrated all 16 ports of the Keysight PXI-VNA … [Read more...]
How Does Solder Reflow Affect RF Connectors?
Solder reflow plays an important role in the success and performance of high-bandwidth RF connectors. Sometimes, when a high-bandwidth RF connector is soldered together with an optimized PCB launch, the results can be unpredictable. It is important to investigate the root causes of solder reflow variation and analyze what techniques can deliver consistent performance across frequencies. In a new white paper from Samtec, “Impacts of Solder Reflow on High Bandwidth RF Connectors,” authors … [Read more...]
Characterizing High-Speed Digital Interfaces: Reflecting on Reflections
Today’s high-speed digital interfaces have become more sensitive to signal reflections. The result is a need to characterize and suppress channel and component discontinuities. How do you select a characterization method between those called out in standards such as PCIe, IEEE 802.3, and USB? In a DesignCon 2022 paper, Steve Krooswyk, Hansel Dsilva, Richard Mellitz, Stephen Hall, Adam Gregory, Beomtaek Lee, and John Riley aim to explain each reflection standard in regard to its history, use … [Read more...]
Ganged SMPM: New High Density, Push-On RF Solutions
Samtec recently released Magnum RF™, which are ganged, multi-position SMPM blocks and cable assemblies for millimeter-wave applications. Magnum RF is ideal when space is limited and a high operating frequency is required. Ganged SMPM When more than one channel is required, the ganged SMPM design provides 40% greater density, requires less processing time, and provides better positional alignment compared to individual SMPM connectors. SMPM (Sub-Miniature Push-on Micro), is about 33% … [Read more...]
New RF Podcast: Emerging RF Interconnect Design Challenges and Solutions
Samtec's Jim Alexander and Pete Robinson recently spoke with Judy Warner on The EEcosystem. The conversation, recorded as a podcast, discusses how increasing frequencies and shrinking footprints impact RF connectors and PCBs. They also discuss new design considerations and solutions. Here's a link to that podcast (it's free -- no registration, no strings attached) While it doesn't replace the podcast, below are a few comments, ideas, strategies, and observations that are covered in the … [Read more...]